Treasure chest found in roadway in Roswell

Gold coins, cash inside

ROSWELL, Ga. – If you found a substantial amount of cash lying on the side of the road, what would you do?

That was the dilemma facing two local residents Oct. 14 when they came across a box lying near the intersection of Jones Road and Shallowford Road in Roswell, not far from the fire station.

The men said they were both driving on the road about 2:14 p.m. when they saw the box. They stopped their vehicles and opened it.

“They opened it up and found cash and gold coins in it,” said Detective Dana DeWeese, who is investigating the box and trying to find its owner.

Inside was a large amount of cash along with dozens of antique gold coins.

While others may have taken the valuables for themselves, the two men went to the fire station and turned it over to authorities.

The coins were antique denominations, with some marked “St. Gaudens” and “Franc.”

“There are some turn-of-the-century, American gold coins,” DeWeese said. “There are also some French gold coins.”

DeWeese has begun searching for the owner and spread the information of the lost property to surrounding police departments and coin dealers; however the owner has yet to be found.

Coincidentally, there was a coin show in Marietta the same day the box was found, and the owner may have attended. DeWeese is concerned also that the box may have been stolen.

“We put it out to the other jurisdictions in case it was evidence of a burglary or robbery,” he said. “So far, there are no hits.”

This isn’t the first time a box of money has turned up. DeWeese said one of Roswell’s officers once found an ATM box in the middle of the road. This is the box that holds the cash in an ATM. DeWeese said it had fallen off the back of the delivery truck.

If someone has information on the coins, DeWeese urges them to call the Roswell Police Department at 770-640-4100.